Palestinian gunman killed in West Bank

Jerusalem - Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian gunman who opened fire at them, wounding one of the troops under the cover of darkness early on Tuesday at a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military said.

A military statement said the gunman “opened fire and wounded a border policeman at the checkpoint, the forces returned fire, killing the perpetrator”.

Israel's Ynet website said the gunman had fired a pistol, shooting one of the policemen in the leg. An Israeli military official said the policeman was lightly wounded.

No other details were immediately available about the incident which came hours after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swore in a new unity government, healing a rift with Hamas Islamists in Gaza, and raising tensions with Israel which threatened to hold Abbas responsible for any violent incidents.

The incident occurred near the West Bank city of Nablus, at the same checkpoint, called Tapuach, where troops had four days ago arrested a Palestinian wearing an explosives belt, thwarting what may have been the first suicide bomb attack since 2008.

The would-be bomber, believed to be in his 20s, raised suspicions by wearing a jacket on a particularly hot day. - Reuters